Animal trap



June 24, 1930; HAEGE 1,765,975

ANIMAL TRAP Filed Oct. 17, 1928 I I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lou/J HA 56/5.

hvWswrwa L. HAEGE ANIMAL TRAP June 24, 1930. 1

Filed 061:. 17, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930. L. HAEGE 1,765,975

ANIMAL TRAP Fuea 001;.17. 192a s'smets-s'neet s Patented June 24,1930 i l I I Applicationfiledipetoher17,' 1928. 'serial ivo. 312,942."

; 2 Thisinvention relates to animal traps for .Fig. 3 isa perspective .view showing. the use in catching mi'ceQfrats, and other animals. removable cage. 1 1

One of the; objects of theinventionis t Fig. 4.1 a section taken approximately produce a self-'settingtrap wherein the anion the line 4.4 in Fig; 5, a portion of the malpasses through a s'eries 'of compartments trap door being broken out to showzits piv- 55 equipped-with doors, or closures, so arranged otal mounting. 1 a Q m that the animal can not '"return fromone Fig 5 is a. section taken approximately @Qmplartment to fanothe'rfi'The "doors, or. on the line 5'5:in.Fig.'6. I

. closures, are'automatically restored to pre- Fig. 6 is "a sectionftaken approximately s ventsuch return, and to leave the trap in on the line (i 6in F ig.- 5 t 1 c0 condition tojreceive' andsconfine otherwan-r' Fig. 7 'sa perspectivejview of the upper mals, without liability 0f.releasing an aniportion of the trap; with the door at thetop mal from'thetrapfi 2 1 ff in its open 'positiontoshow a closure-for Another object-isto-produce a-trap'prothe entrance tothe trap. and a trigge'r'which 1 yided witha cage whereinjthe trapped ani- -holds',.the closure inits open position. i :65

'the ani1nals.- The cage 1; containing the Fig, 9 isv a Vertical section of the'upp'er 7 dental: displacement of a trigger which eX- he t p, he (100? ing h ge fi fif' igt 1. I

- second; 1 v

unalsact as decoys "to attractjother animals -Fig. 8jis a View similar ,to Fig. 6', showing to a compartment leadingto-the cage." The the manner in whichthe-closure is opened 7 cage,is:preferablyremovableffroin the body in'response to a downward motioniof the ofthe trap, and it has a door to'discharge trapdoor.

trapped animals "may be submergedsinwater portion of the trapyshowing the closure in p a to drown them, .or theiidoor may be' ope'ned its closed position. I 1

'whileithe animals are aliveiljWhen thecage 1' ,'Fig.'l0fis a section taken approximately is removed from theubjocly ofthetrap the on the l'ine"10-Ll0 inFig; 8.x I animals. are confined byfaibneway door at .-Fig. llis a detailviewshowing a portion 75 theinlet' of the cage, totprevent accidental of the shelf which forms part of a partition releaseofthe anim'als; I inthe housing. i

Furtherrobjects are toprevent the animals To illustrate one form of the invention, I fromI'removi-ngthe.bait;1;to *prevent accihave shown a'housingl having. a;door -2 at tends below; the bait :holder, andto provide andprovided with'a spring latchadapted ;a trap .in 'whichth'e ia'nimal itselfpositively to snap on to apin;5 (Figures 1' and 2) opens-1. and resets the-entrance door .while Which xten fr m f fif h gpassingrfrom the-first compartment to the A handle; i c r to the 2 1, 1

' 15' 4 1 I To divide the. housing intoan upper .and 185 iWith the foregoing andoth'erobjects in EU w rwmP m t, have. Shown tr p -VlOW, theinventioncomprisesthe' novel corn r Q7 Q Intedona shelf 8 'i a st-ruction, combinationfa'ndqarrangement of and 8) d l v g an P fl ge parts hereinafter more specifically described r the. Huddle of the lg- The PW.- and illustrated in" tlifaccompanying" draw- PP Q I P 1 compnse ings, whereinis shownzthepreferred embodi- Wetmnmg P P 10 Secured tothe tt ment 'of'the inventionf .1 However; it is to be sald WP uponfltheiflange understoodthat-theinvention compreh dg gh e i m a 1S e p et y i chan es *variations and modifications which '1 e I, m 0 mVerteC-l V to m the v t} p flange 9. The trap door isreniovably seated-1 0m W1? 11 .E Q P e hs f fl on the flange 9*so that" it can be removed a v zg I", 1. through thetop of the housingto the ex lllg- 113 1 Y WUI 'P. bQdy g pose the lower compartment. j This trapdoor 7 (Fig. 6.) has ans extended theteatures ofthisin vention. I I lug 215 HQfIpIlii -YEWQfthetrapy Wing 11 t one side ofthe'pivotal support .100

1 9, 10, and this extension 11 is heavy enough to slightly overbalance the door proper,

whioh normally engages the housing, as

V shown @1112 in Fig; 6;

J 11 tion, I have shown'a trigger lfi in theiorm; of a lever pivoted at toaside wallet-the "T The entrance to the upper compartment is shown at 13 in Figs. 5 to Qinclusive. V. A'closure ,14; in the upper compartment,

' fis iv'oted at .155 tog 'the front. wall Of the housing; and this closure is adapted to drop by gravity to close -thel entrance 13, as

showninFig.9. i

To retainthe'closure 14 in its'open ,posr

housing," said triggerhavingan extension 1 8: atone end adaptedtolie under afiange 19 which extends from the closure 14:. This is shown most clearly inv Fig. 7.. The op-p posite endI-ot the trigger 16' is provided with af platformf which: may I be moved;downwardly, with the result of lifting the mittingrrit t V triggereXtensiOn' 18 in an arc. of a' circle, 1 thereby releasing the closure 14; and perdrop-by"- gravity to close the entrance 18.

' Totretain the trigger inl its operative position; the platform 20 "has an upturned member. 21 (Figures 4 and-5) which .jnorma'llyengages the bottom 22 of a ba'i't holder.- This upturneda -member 21' co.- operates with the bottom 22 towiimit the upward motion. of the platform 20, and it separates said platform from the bait holder, so that the trigger will not be disd roppednonto the platform i VThe bait holder lies in one'cornerof the housing, andit is closed at the top by placed'by particles of material: that may bev means of the hingeddoor '2; A screen 23 formsthe' front'of the bait holder; so the ,animal ican see the bait but .cannot remove it from the holder. g

r I 4 shows that the triangular bottom U thebait 1 holder is cutaway ato 3 cornerof the housing-to form an outlet 24 for grease" etc fwhich drops to: the bottom of the housing, one corner of the shelf 8 being-cut away to form an opening Fi'g. 11) through which this material; passes.

7 trap door without displacing'any of 'the ,form;theeXtension 18 atrthe opposite end I "parts itoithej [platform 20 which lies immediately below, the bait holder. When the animal presses downwardly on this platof the trigger moved upwardly from'the fposition shown in Fig.--l7, so astorelea-se the closure 14c which then drops by gravity toclosetheentranee "113; as shown in; Fig. 9. The closure 1 4 then "rests upon the wing '11 which 'extend's from the trap d'oor' 7'. The

animal is thus confined-in theupper coinpartment of the housing. 1

f As shown "by Figures and 7 a relatively ;:After passing through-the entrance 13,- the animal may walk on the wing 11 0f the drops on the trap matically reset for the next animal. V o I willgnow refer toVacagefQT-Iint whieh' small opening 26 is formed in the side wan" of the housing which lies'adjacent to'the freelower edge ofthe trapdoor 7. The

opening 26 is small enough fto v prevent 'escapeof theanimal, but thecompartment is otherwise closed, so the animal will;

usually; walk toward this opening" 26- thereby passing ontothe, trap idooriii; 1 which moves downwardly to drop the animal into the lower compartment. Fig. 6 showsthe lower compartment.

to the weightof its extended wing'll, will "promptly return to f the closed position shown in Fig. 7;, so aster prevent the animal .frompas'sing back into theuppercompartment. a

- Irwill now refer to; the manner in which the trap door automatically .7 opens-ithe closure 14L and resets the trigger 16"soias to V retain the closure in said open position,

thus resetting the trapjfor the next animal. V

The flange 19 011 thejclosure 14: liesinthe path of the wing 11 which extends from V the trapdoor; and this wing moves up- V wardly when thetrapf doorimoves' down, wardly in response to the fweightof the animal. The upward motion of; said wing 1:1 restores-theclosure114'as shown in Fig."

8, and since the trigger extension 118' lies at the relatively heavy end'ot the-.t1? iggerl6,,

itwillbe apparent that'whenthe closure 14 is moved upwardly its flange '19 will pass the extension 18-: so-asto lie above the same; I

Asa precautionfto insure. a resettingcof the trap in the event that the trigger 16 should be retarded by? i riction as its, pivot or by Contact with-a part io thehousing, g]l have located the platform. 20' in the? path of the wing 11', as shownin Fig. 8; ''-When' this wing 11 is approaching 'its'highest posi- 'tion', -it. contacts with the bottom] offthe platform to lift the same; thereby ilowering the extension 18 at: the opposite end of the trigger; tolocate said extension 18. at a] pointbelow the flange 19 of the closurell. It will now'be understood that they animal animal, and thereafterywhen the animal the animal passes from the lower. compartdoor: 'ZQthetrap-is aut oqiio passes through the entrance 13 to. the plat J form 20 adjacentto thebaitwhieh cannot 7 'be disturbed by the animal; '1)ownward pressure on the platform 20; will release andqdrop the closure I l-to; confine the-$1 F V ment of the housing.- This cage has a rear ,wall28 '(Fig., 3), provided with inverted key-hole slots 29ienlarged at the bottom to receive headed members BOeXtendingLfrom the front of the housing and} adapted to flange in the path of a portion of said trap pass through said slots to etachably interlockthe'v cage with the 1 housing.

ffTh'e'lower compartment of the housing is provided with an exit'3l (Figures 5 and '6) the cage is providedwith an inlet passa ewa 32xregiste'ring "with said exit.- "A

one-way door 33inthis inlet passageway, is

Y pivoted at the topand inclined inwardly from the pivot, to prevent'return through said passageway Dotted lines 5 show how the door 33 is swung upwardly when the animal enters the-cagep The door immediately drops by'gravifty to'the position shown'by fullilinesinlFig;5; e

The cage 27 has an inclined front wall in the form of a screen mounted in a frame 34,

and this screen serves as al'adder on which the animals climb to the entrance 13.

The frame 34; of" this inclined screen is slidablein guides 35 atthesides oft-he cage ,to serve as a door whichisopenedto'discharge the animals. Fig. 3showshow this door may be pulled upwardly to 1 open the cagef,- It will be observedthat the cage can be opened whilefthe cagefis secured to the housing, and theupper edge of the door frarneisllies adjacent tOFthe front of the hou ing, t0 prevent upward, m 'yti nv f the sliding do -l The "inlet passagewayifi2' in the cage 27' (Fi ures '3 and 51s rovided with: a to i a: VP

wall 36 made of sheet metaland having an outer edge which maybe bent to frictionally engage the fram'e34: of the/slidabledoor.

v compartment,a trap dooronwhichthe animal passes from the upper-to the lower com 'Iclaim: o I

1. An animal trap comprising a housmg having an upper compartment anda lower partment, said upper compartment being provided withan entrance,"'and a closurefor said entrance, said closure being provided with an operatingelement in the path of a portion ofsaid trapdoor, so as to open said closure in response totheopening of said trap door. i I 2.'An animal trap comprising a housing having an upper compartment and a lower compartment, a trap door on whichthe animal passes from the upper to the lower coInpartment, said. upper compartment being PI'QVlClGCl Wltll an entrance, a closure adapted to drop by gravity to close said entr ance,and

a triggerholding said closure in its open-pt) sitlon, sald closure being provided with a door, so as to 0 ing an entrance,'a closureadapted to drop I by gravity to close said entrance, a trigger v holding said closure in its open position, i

said trigger including aa latform whereby itis actuated to release the closure, a bait gravity to' close said: entrance, a trigger to the opening of said trap door. y

pen said closure in response;

3. An animaltrap comprising ahousing having an upper compartment anda lower vol compartment, a trap door on which the :ini

mal passes from the upper to the lower compartment, said upper compartment being provided with an entrance, a pivotally;sup-

I ported closure adapted to drop by gravity to close said; entrance, and a pivotally a sup-' ported trigger having anextenslon to hold trigger. and closure and movable upwardly in response toa downward movement ofsaid trapdoor, and said trigger and closure being provided with operating elementsin the course of said extension, so as to restore the trigger and closure in response'to. said'down- V ward movement of the trap door.

An animal trap comprising a housing providedwith an entrancaa closure adapted to drop by gravity to closesaid entrance, a pivotally supported trigger having an exftension at one" endto hold said trap door in saidclosure in its open pOsitiomsajid' trap; doorhavlng an extension 'located below said its open position, 'the opposi't'e end or said trigger being provided with a-platform, a

"bait holder having a floor above said' 'platform, a portion of" said platform being ex- 7 tendedupwardly to engage said floor when the trigger occupies its operative position, y I and said floor being prov ded with a greaseoutlet at one corner of said" housing.

5, An animal trap comprising a'housing v 109 V provided with an upper compartment havholder above andadjacent to said, platform, and a trap door 'pivotally supported at the "bottom of said upper compartment.

' 6. An animal trap comprising ga'housing provided with anlupper, compartn'ienthavi'ng an entrance, a closure adapted'to drop by gravity to closesaid entrance,a trigger holdingsaidclosure in its open position, said trigger including a platform whereby it is actuated to release the closure, "a bait holder above and adjacentfto said platform,

provided'with a shelf having'a'n upturned flange near-the middleof said housing-Land a trap"Qdoor'hpivotally supported on said 5 flange, said trap door having an extension leadingofrom said' entrance to apoint ne'a'r said platform. u

:the'bottom of said. upper compartment being 7. An animal trap comprising a housing, I

a trap door pivotally supported in said housing and dividing it into an upper compartment and alower compartment, sa1d Y I upper'compartment being. provided with an entrance, ajiclosure adapted to drop-=by pivotally mounted said {upper compart- Inent; said trigger having an extension at one endfholding saidclosure in its open 7 position and a platformat theopposi-te end vihereby" it is, actuated toirelease the closure, v said trap door having an extension located belo v'saidtrig-gerfand closure to-restore said triggerand closure to their'operative positions-in responseto the. movement of the trap door, a baitfholder adjacent to said" lplatfornnf said" lower compartment. 1 having 7 an exit, and acage at the front of saidhous; f ing having an inlet passageway registering with said exit,, said inlet passageway "being providedwith a. doorpivoted at -the topand inclined inwardly from the pivot to prevent return through said passageway, said cage having a rearwall detachably interlocked 7 with said housing' anda door to release the animals. 7 i V 8;-An aninial tra-p compr sing a' housing,

a trap door pivotally ;-supp orted in said 7 housingand dividing it into an upper comv I partment; "and a lower compartment, said entrance-,,. 3Lp1VOt6l C-l0S11T8 adapted to drop bygravigtyto close sa1'djent'rance,a trlgger' pivotally mounted in sand: upper compart-- nient, said trigger having anextension at,

upper compartment: being provided with an oneend hold'in'gsaidclosure in its open position and la platform at theopposite end whereby itis actuated to release the closure,

' said trap. door having an eXtension located below. said; trigger and closure to, restore said trlgger and- .closure to their operative positions in response to. the movement ofthe trapdoor, a bait holder above and-adjacent to said platform, sa d lower compartment 7 having an exit, ia oage satthe front of said hous ng li -aving an i-nlet passageway reg IStGFlDg WIlDh,StlCl exit, said inlet passageway being providedwitl'i :a door pivoted at the top and inclined: inward-1y 'from the V pivot topreventireturnthrough said pas V-sageway, said cage, having a rear wall pro- ;vided; withopenings, and headed members extending from said housing and into said slotstodetachablyinterlock said cage with said housing.

9. An; animalYtrap comprising a hous- 1 .ing, a trap door pivotally supported in said housing and dividing it'into an upper compartment and a lower -conipartnient, said upper compartrnent being provided with an 5 entrance, a pivoted closure adapted to drop by gravitywto close said entrance, a trigger 'pivotally mounted in said upper compart- Yinentpsaid trigger having an extension at V oneend holding saidlclosure in its open; po-

' l v l I: Y I 1 6 1 d ally supported trap door where the trapped animal 7 drops into said, lower: compartment,

said lower compartment ha'vingvanfexit, and Y a 'cage at the front of-said, housing havin'g'an inlet passageway registering" with Said exit,

a trap door pivotallv supported fin said housing and dividing it into 'alowercom} said inlet passageway being providedwith 1 a door pivoted at the top and inclined inwvardlv from the pivot to prevent return through saidpassageway; 10. An animal trap, comprising ahousing partnnent and an upper compartment, said upper compartment being provided with an entrance, a pivoted closure adapted to drop by gravity to close said entrance, a trigger pivotally mounted in said upper compartnient, said trigger having-an,- eXtension at V one end holding saidclo'surein its open pO-f sition and arplatforin at :the opposite end 'wherebyit is actuated torelease the closure,

av bait holder above and adjacent tosaid platform, an opening being formed inthe side of said compartment adjacent to the downwardly inovable portion ofvsaid pivot ally. supported trap, door where thetrapped said lowercoinpart nent; having an exit, a

animal drops, into said lower 'eompartinent,j

cage at the frdnt offjsa-id liousing having an inlet passagewayf registering with. said exit, said inlet :passageway being provided with a door pivoted at the top and inclined inwardly from 'thepivottoprevent return through sa d passageway, said; cage; being detachably interlocked wiith said housing, .5

said: cage having ian inclined front, W allfin the form of a screen -16Etd111g- GOfSa,1,Cl en- In testimony that I claim the foregoing l-hereuntoiaffix. mysignature. -I V 1 1 f Y ,LQUIS trance, and'said screen-beingremovable from sa-1djcage to release'the animals; 7 i

Oil 

